Can you test yourself for influenza?

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asked 2 hours ago in Other- Health by BigJay88 (620 points)
Can you test yourself for influenza?

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answered 1 hour ago by Caldecott (43,020 points)
You can test yourself at home for influenza using at home influenza test kits that can be bought over the counter without any need for a prescription.

CVS, Walgreens and even online sells influenza test kits for use at home and they are pretty cheap.

The cost of an influenza test is around $29.99 to $100.00 depending on the doctor and location.

You can get an influenza test at CVS and other pharmacies and CVS pharmacies influenza tests are $29.99.

There's also often a pharmacist assessment fee which is $45.00.

You can also use HSA or FSA funds to pay for the pharmacist assessment fee.

To maximize detection of influenza viruses, respiratory specimens should be collected as close to illness onset as possible (ideally <3–4 days after onset; molecular assays may detect influenza viral RNA in respiratory tract specimens for longer periods after illness onset than antigen detection assays).

You can also buy over the counter at home influenza test kits, which give you results in around 15 minutes or so.

You can get a flu test at your local retail pharmacy, urgent care centers, or your primary care provider's office.

Most results are available within 15 to 30 minutes.

Urgent care will also give you a flu test as urgent care can do a lot for the flu, offering rapid testing, prescribing antiviral medications like Tamiflu (especially within 48 hours for faster recovery), diagnosing complications, and managing symptoms with fever reducers and hydration support, serving as a great alternative to the ER for non-severe cases or when you lack a primary doctor.

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